Friday marked a new beginning for Khadia Gross. The single mother of three walked into her newly furnished apartment, overwhelmed with emotion after leaving a difficult past behind. Thanks to the Alma Randolph Charitable Foundation’s Hands Up To Succeed (HUTS) program, Gross and her daughters now have a fully furnished home to call their own.
The HUTS project, created by the foundation in 2016, aims to enhance the living conditions of disadvantaged families by providing a “hand up, not a handout.” Gross and her three daughters — ages 3, 8, and 11 — recently moved to Owensboro from Tennessee. The Oasis Women’s Shelter nominated Gross to become a HUTS recipient.
Gross and her daughters were treated to two nights at the Holiday Inn Downtown Riverfront, complete with a pool party and pizza. During their stay, Gross and her daughters were provided with all the comforts of the hotel, from room service to swimming. Meanwhile, the foundation’s volunteers were hard at work furnishing the apartment with living room furniture, a new washer and dryer, and decor. An anonymous donor even provided a 60-inch TV for the family.
The family was picked up in style by Limos By Knight and enjoyed the comfort of a limousine ride before the big reveal.
“When I first got out of the limousine and saw everybody standing outside waiting for us, I just instantly started crying,” Gross said. “It was overwhelming to see Miss Alma and her whole team there. I never could have imagined anything like this.”
Alma Randolph, founder of the foundation, expressed her gratitude for being able to help Gross.
“Khadia could have stayed in the abusive situation she was in, but that would have sent the wrong message to her daughters. They need to know it’s not okay to tolerate domestic violence,” Randolph said. “Instead, she chose to leave, and now she’s sending them the message that they deserve better. Today was about giving her a fresh start.”
The HUTS program was inspired by Randolph’s own experiences growing up in poverty. Since its inception, the program has completed 80 home reveals, helping families like Gross’s turn their lives around.
“We want to help families who are trying to help themselves but need just a little bit of a boost,” Randolph explained.
Gross, who works at Owensboro Community and Technical College, plans to start college herself next year. She hopes to inspire others with her story.
“This is a step for me, a step for motivation,” Gross said. “Everything is going in a good direction, and I want others to know not to give up.”
